Bread toaster



JamS, 1932'. E. D. FAGERos BREAD TOASTERr 3 Sheets-Sheet Filed Deo.- 12,1928 Jan- 5, 1932- E. D. FAGERos BREAD TOASTER Filed Dec. 12. 192e 3Sheets-Sheet 2 l 77'0/7/VEY5.

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AUNITED- STATES PATENT OFFICE i EDGAR luminosos MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA i:maar 'roA's'rEn i apucanon med December 12, 1922s.4 serial No,'325,435.

This invention relates to a toasting device throughout the severalviews, and in which andiparticularly to such a device of the elec- Fig.l is a plan view of the device, with trical type. Toast is now made inlarge quancertain portions broken away and other portities, not only indomestic establishments, tions shown in horizontalf'section;

Y5 but in restaurants and in many sandwich Fig. 2 is an end view of thedevice with one 55 shops where toasted sandwiches are served. end coverremoved certain parts being Itis desirable to have a toasting devicewhich brokenaway and other parts being shownin will efficiently ,toastthe bread without burnvertical section; ing or overheating the same. Itis also de-Y Fig. 3 is a wiringdiagram of the electrical '11@ sirable tohave a'device which is easily and connections of the device, and if 50quickly operated and which does not require `Fig. 4 is a partial view inside elevation of a thevconstantI attention of the operator afterportion of the operating mechanism. the bread has been placed therein.It is fur- Referring to the drawings, a casing is thermore desirable tohave a toaster which shown comprising a lower frame portion 5 of i' 15will properly toast the bread, indicate when rectangular form havingvertically extending (5:5`

the toasting operation is linished and keep vnarrow flanges and bottomportions 5a. lThe the toast warm until the same is taken from bottomportion 5ais secured to and carried' on the device. four legs 5b.Angular posts 6 rise fronrthe It is an object of this invention,therefore, corners of member 5 comprisingA spaced por- 2@ to provide asimple andV eilicient toasting detior a secured to'member 5 and betweenwhich 70 vice which can be easily andquickly operated portions aredisposed plate Amembers7. The and which will not overheat or burn thetoast. plate members 7 form the sides of the casing It isa furtherobject of the invention to and are preferably of translucent vitreousprovide a simple and eliicient toasting device material. Plates 7 extendsubstantially to the '25 which will indicate when the toasting opertopof the posts 6 and are overlapped by.a 75 ation a is completed and willkeep the toast downwardly extending flange 8a of a top warm until thesame is taken from the device. plate 8 secured to the posts 7 by screwsor `It is still another object of the invention to bolts 8e. The topplate 8 has a plurality of 'provide an electrical toasting device havingslots 8b extending longitudinally thereof 3.0 heating means togetherwith means for supwhich aresubstantially co-extensive with so plyingcurrent'to said heating means to toast slots in the casing below theplate to be later the bread and havingmeans to later reduce described.Angle members 8c are also secured the current supply, as well as meansfor subto the posts 6 and extend therebetween at the 5 scqulentlycutting off the supply of current yends and sides ofthe frame and at theinner and ieat.

It is more specifically an object of the inwelded to members 80 atadjacent ends thereof vention to provide an electrical toasting de-.yadapted to receive screws 8e for holding top vice having movable meansfor supporting' plate 8 in place. A rectangular casing 9 is disslices ofbread, heating means for toasting nosed within the'casing formed bymembers 6,

sides of members 7 Nuts 8d are soldered or 35 said slices, a manuallyoperated switch for 7 and 8, which casing has atop 9a, side walls' 90'closing an electric circuit to supply current 9b and one end wall 90,being open at its to. said heating means, a time controlled other end.The top 9a has a plurality of means for reducing said ycurrent andp-referlongitudinally ,extending slots 9d therev ably operating asignal, and manually operthrough substantially aligned and co-exte n- 45atedmeans for cutting oil said current. sive with the slots 8b alreadydescribed. 95

Theseand other objects and advantages of YVithin the casing 9 is anotherrectangular the. invention will be fully set forth in the casing 10, thewalls of which comprise a layer follolwinggdescription made inconnection of insulating material 10a. 'Said casing 10 with theaccompanying drawings, in which has end plates 10b having slots 10ctherein like reference characters refer to similar parts in which arereceived rods 11 extending bestrips 13a having their lat sides incontact and each having a plurality of lugs 136 formed thereon and bentat right angles thereto. The lugs on said plates 13a extend respectivelyin opposite directions. The lugs 13b have apertures 130 therethroughthrough which pass the wires or rods 12. The plates 13 extend throughslots 10d extending vertil Acally through the end walls 10b. saidmembers 13 are secured to a channel shaped memends bent outwardly inopposite directions as shown in Fig. 1. At their other ends the members13 are secured' to a channel shaped member 14 by suitable screws orrivets. Vertically disposed heating ele-ments 16 are suitably mounted inany convenient manner between the wires or rods 12 carried by the innerpair of rods 11 and at the outer sides of the wires 12 carried by theouter rods 11, the latter heating-elements being adjacent the walls ofcasing 10. Any suitable form of electric heating element can be used andthese usually comprise a sheet of insulating material on which 1smounted a plurality of strands or convolutions of small wire havingconsiderable resistance. The member 14 has 'secured' thereto the y lowerend of a rod 15, said rod being threaded and having nuts 15a thereon ateither side of member' 14 and extending vertically through top plate 9which has a slot 9e therethrough through which rod 15 passes. Rod 15also extends through an opening in top plate 8 and has secured to itsupper end a knob-like handle 17. A rod or wire 18 extends around plunger15 under the top nut 15a being held thereby and has a projecting end fora purpose to be later described.

A base plate 19 is disposed over the bottom 5a and has secured thereto aframe member 20 in the form of a narrow plate having a horizontal bottomportion, a vertically extending side portion 20a and a horizontallyextending top portion 206. A cylindrical f block 21 is secured to member20 and has secured thereto and rising therefrom a tubular' member 22. Acoiled compression spring 23 surrounds tube 22, being secured at itsbottom to block 21. A plunger 24 is slidable in tube 22 and has acollar25 secured thereto by the set screw 25a engaging the upper end of spring23. Plunger 24 has a slot 24a therethrough through which extends an arm26 to be later described and said plunger 24 extends through top plate 8and has a screw 27 on the side thereof adjacent its upper end. Aknob-like handle 28 has a hub or sleeve 28a fitting over plunger 24 andprovided with a helical groove 28?) into which screw 27 projects, sleeve28a fitting plunger 24 rather tightly. A small rod 63 is secured inplunger 24 and has a loop 63a surrounding rod 15, thelatter having a pin64 projecting therefrom below loop 63a.

A clock work mechanism is provided carricd in a pair of parallel plates29 secured to lugs 3() by the threaded and nutted screws 31, said lugs30 being formed on the ends of a strip secured to the vertical portion20a of member 2O by the screws 32'. Said clock work mechanism comprises'driving gear 33 to which arm 26 is secured and the usual reducing gearsincluding an escapement wheel 34 engaged by a pawl carried by a pendulum35.

A switch member 36 is provided carried on a plate-like bracket 37secured to top portion 20?) of member 20 by screws 38, said switch beingsecured to member 37 by screws 39. Said switch comprises a fixed contactmember 36a having a binding post 40 thereou and a. movable contactmember 36?). Member 366 is movable in an opening 360 in the switch plateand has a plunger portion surrounded by a coiled `compression spring 41.Said plunger portion has a slot 36d at its end in which the transversepin-like portion 42a of a member 42 is adapted to enter, said memberhaving lateral projections 42?) at each side of member 42a. Member 42ais secured by a screw 43 which may serve asa binding post to a bar orlever 44 having an elongated slot 44a therein into which projects a pin26a extending laterally from arm 26. A coiled tensile spring 45 issecured to bar 44 intermediate the ends thereof and to the member 37adjacent the upper corner of the latter.

Another switch 46 is provided carried by a plate 47 secured to thevertical portion 20a of member 20 by the headed and nutted bolt 48. Theswitch 46 comprises aI fixed contact member 46a having a binding post 49thereon and a movable contact member 46?). Member 461; is similar tomember 365 already described and swings in an opening 460 in the switchplate 46, the same having a projecting plunger-like portion surroundedby a coiled spring 50 having a slot 50a in its end adapted to receive acentral pin-like projection 51a of a member 51, which like the member42, also has projecting prongs at either side of member 51a.' Thememberl is secured by screw 52 which may serve as a binding post, to baror lever 53 having an elongated slot 53a therein open at its end intowhich projects member 18 already described., A lamp socket 54 is mountedon the base member 19 in which is disposed a lamp bulb 55, and while anykind of which willextend tothe switch 46 \and to the movable'contact 46cthereof, the fixed contact 46a being indicated. A conductor 57 extendsfrom contact 46c to the fixed contact 36aof switch 36, the movablecontact 366 of which is indicated. A' conductor 58 extends from movablecontact 366 to one of the heating elements 16which is shown as in serieswith one of the other heating elements 16, being connected thereto by aconductor 59. The central heating element 16 is in parallel with theouter elements 16, but connected to conductor 58 by a conductor 60 andbeing connected lby conductor 61 to the other line conductor 56 which isconnected to the end of one of the outer heating elements 16.Conductor-60 has connected thereto a conductor 61 extending to themovable contact 46c, lamp 55 being disposed in conductor 62.

In operation the toaster will normally oci cupy a position with bothswitches 36 and 46 open, spring l23 being expanded and plunger 24 beingin its upper position. When the sition of sleeve 28al can thus be variedand the plunger 24 can be depressed varying amounts and will compressspring 23 varying amounts. When both switches 36 and 46 are closed heatwill be supplied to the heaters 1 6,current passing through the upperline conductor 56 as shown in Fi 3 to switch 46, conductor 57, switch 36an conductors 58 and 60 to the heaters 16 and to the return` line oflower line conductor 56. More heat is supplied to the central heatingmember 16 than to the outside heating members as the central heatingmember heats two sides of the toast while the outer heating members heatonly one side. As soon as the operator relieves the pressure of knob 28,spring 23 begins to gradually elevate plunger 24. This movement is timedand made uniform by the clock work mechanism as the rod 24 in rising isresisted by arm 26 connected to the clock work mechanism. Plunger 24therefore rises gradually and uniformly and as it reachesa certainposition bar 44 is moved upward sufficiently, substantially to theposition shown in Fig. 2 and movable Contact 366 of switch 36 snaps upto the position shown in Fig. 2 which is the open position. T wo partsat this time occupy the position shown in Fifr. 2. 'The opening ofswitch 36 throws the xed heating element combination of the toaster inseries circuit with the bread lS t0 be tOlSted the SllCBS r0f theSIIIIQ/"Iynpl fhch has 3J Olfnparatvely rewill be dropped through theslots 86 and will pass through the slots 9d down between wires 12 andrest on the members 13. The operator now presses down on handle-28depressing plunger 24, which moves downward in tube 22 and compressesspring 23. This movement swings rod 26 downwardly and also swings bar 44downwardly. When bar 44 swings downwardly the member 42 and portion 42athereof moves int0` the slot 35d onmember 366 compressing spring 4l andcausing member 366 to move in the slot 360 so that the rounded contactportion of member 366 swings to the lower right hand corner of opening36o and engages stationary contact 36a. The handle 17 and rod 15 whenthe toaster is inoperative is in elevated posi-` tion, with the carriers13 somewhat elevatedl" As the operator pushes down on handle 28 anddepressesl plunger y 24, rod 15 will be pulled downward simultaneouslyby rod 63. This moves the carriers 13 to their lower po-4 sition withthe toast in proper position to be heated and as member 14 movesdownwardly with rod 15, member 18 swings bar 53 downwardly swinging themovable contact 466 of switch 46 and closing said switch. Rod'24 movesdownwardly until the bottom of sleeve 28a engages top plate 86. The knob28 and sleeve 28a ca n be rotated. on plunger 24 and owing lto helicalslot 286 engaging the screw 27, this willA v ary the position of thehandle 28 and sleeve'28a relative to rod 24. The posistance. Switch 36now being open and the current passing through conductor 61 and theresistance 55, the current is much reduced and a much smaller amount ofheat is furnished by the heaters 16. When the current passes throughconductor 61, after switch 36 opens, lamp is illuminated.` This lampvshines through the translucent plates 7 and slots 9d and 86 and throughmember 18,

swinging bar 53 and opening the switch.46 so that the current and heatare now cut oil' and lamp 55 extinguished. The toast can now be removedfrom'the device Vand the toaster will be ready for a new operation. Itwill be noted that after switch 36 is opened and the main heat isreduced to .asmall amount the toast will be kept warm by this smallamount of heat, but will not be unduly heated or burned until theoperator can approach the device and operate handle 17 to manually-liftthetoast and open switch 46 to cut olf the heat and current. As abovestated, the time that the full heat is supplied to the toast can bevaried by moving handle toast is placed therein and the handles 17 and28 depressed the device will operate and effectively toast the breadwithout further attention. When the toasting operation is completed thesignal lamp 55 is illuminated and the operator will be informed that thetoast is now ready to be removed. The toast will be kept Warm until theoperator can get to the device and remove the toast and shut off thecurrent. The device can of course be built to accommodate as many slicesof toast as desired. The toaster has been amply demonstrated in actualpractice and found to be very successful 'and eicient.

It wil1,'of course, be understood that various changes may be made inthe form, details, arrangement and proportions of the parts withoutdeparting from the scope of applicants invention, which, generallystated, consists in a device capable of carrying out the objects aboveset forth, in the novel parts and combinations of parts disclosed anddcned in the appended claims.

W'hat is claimed is l. A bread toaster having in combination, a casinghaving translucent walls, a lamp in said casing, which, when lighted, isvisible through said Walls, heating means in said casing, means forsupporting slices of bread ade jacent said heating means, means forclosing an electric circuit for supplying current to said heating means,time controlled means for lighting said lamp and reducing the supply ofsaid current after a predetermined period, and manually operated meansfor opening said circuit and cutting off the supply of said current.

2. A bread toaster having in combination, a casing having a top plate,heating means in said casing, a vertically movable carrier, forsupporting slices of bread adjacent said heating means and for litingsaid bread through said top plate, a switch adapted to be closed tosupply current to said heating means, a. plunger for moving said carrierand operating said switch, a handle at the top of said plunger abovesaid top plate, means including a clock work mechanism, an operating thewill be simultaneously depressed to close sai switches and compress saidspring.

3. A bread toaster having in combination, y

a casing, heating means in said casing, a vertically movable carrier forsupporting slices of bread adjacent said heating means, a switch adaptedto close to supply current to said heating means, a plunger for movingsaid carrier, said plunger being depressible to move said carrier tobring said bread adjacent said heating means and to close said switch, asecond plunger means tending to elevate said second plunger after it isde ressed, means controlling the elevation of sai second plunger, asecond switch adapted to be opened after a predetermined upward movementof said second plunger to reduce the amount of current, a signaloperated when said last mentioned switch is operated to reduce thecurrent, said first plunger being capable of being lifted to move saidbread from adjacent said heating means and open said first mentionedswitch to shut off the supply of current. In testimony whereof I affixmy signature.

EDGAR D. FAGEROS.

spring therefor and a switch adapted to be opened after a predeterminedlength of time 'to reduce the amount of current and heat, a

lunger for compressing said spring and closmg said last mentioned switchand a handle on said plunger disposed above said top plate and meansconnectmg said handles whereby

